Scintillator array for radiation detection

Abstract

A radiation detector includes a photodetector and a scintillator coupled thereto. The scintillator is formed of a scintillator material comprising an organic glass scintillator (OGS) material and at least one of a polymer additive or a plasticizer additive. The scintillator emits light when radiation is received at the scintillator, and the light is received by the photodetector. The radiation detector can further include a frame that has an interior cavity that holds the scintillator in position with respect to the photodetector, such that the light emitted by the scintillator is transmitted to the photodetector. The scintillator can be formed by casting amorphous scintillator material in the interior cavity of the frame. The frame can then be coupled to the photodetector to form the radiation detector.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A radiation detector, comprising:
 a scintillator, comprising an organic glass scintillator (OGS) material and plasticizer additive present in the scintillator at a concentration of between 1% and 10% of the mass of the scintillator, wherein responsive to radiation impinging on the scintillator, the scintillator emits light; and 
 a photodetector coupled to the scintillator such that the light emitted by the scintillator is received at the photodetector, wherein responsive to receipt of the light the photodetector outputs an electrical signal indicative of the light. 
 
     
     
       2. The radiation detector of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitted by the scintillator has a peak emission wavelength of between about 400 nanometers and 600 nanometers. 
     
     
       3. The radiation detector of  claim 1 , further comprising a frame having an interior cavity, the scintillator positioned within the interior cavity of the frame, wherein light emitted by the scintillator is reflected by a surface of the interior cavity of the frame. 
     
     
       4. The radiation detector of  claim 3 , wherein the scintillator is a first scintillator and the interior cavity is a first interior cavity, the frame further comprising a second interior cavity separated from the first interior cavity, the radiation detector further comprising a second scintillator positioned within the second interior cavity, the photodetector coupled to the second scintillator. 
     
     
       5. The radiation detector of  claim 4 , wherein the photodetector comprises a first cell and a second cell, wherein the first scintillator is aligned with the first cell and the second scintillator is aligned with the second cell, and wherein the frame is configured such that light emitted by the first scintillator is received only by the first cell and such that light emitted by the second scintillator is received only by the second cell. 
     
     
       6. The radiation detector of  claim 3 , wherein the interior cavity has an interior surface that is coated with a reflective coating. 
     
     
       7. The radiation detector of  claim 6 , wherein the reflective coating has a reflectivity of greater than 90% with respect to the light emitted by the scintillator. 
     
     
       8. The radiation detector of  claim 3 , wherein an interior surface of the interior cavity is electropolished to have a reflectivity of greater than 90% with respect to the light emitted by the scintillator. 
     
     
       9. The radiation detector of  claim 3 , wherein the scintillator is conformal with an interior surface of the interior cavity. 
     
     
       10. The radiation detector of  claim 1 , wherein the photodetector is a silicon photomultiplier (SIPM) or a charge-coupled device (CCD). 
     
     
       11. The radiation detector of  claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is an alkylbenzene. 
     
     
       12. The radiation detector of  claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is a compound containing boron, the compound selected from a group consisting of:
 boronic pinacol esters; 
 2-(p-tolyl)-1,3,2-dioxaborinane (TDB); 
 1,3,5-tris(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzene (‘1,3,5-TrBB’); 
 2,2′,2″-(benzene-1,2,4-triyl)tris(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane) (‘1,2,4-TrBB’); and 
 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzene (TBB). 
 
     
     
       13. The radiation detector of  claim 1 , wherein the scintillator further comprises a polymer present at a concentration of between 0% and 75% of the mass of the scintillator. 
     
     
       14. The radiation detector of  claim 13 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of:
 polystyrene; 
 polyvinyl toluene; 
 polycarbonate; 
 polyethylene terephthalate; and 
 polymethyl methacrylate. 
 
     
     
       15. The radiation detector of  claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is selected from a group consisting of:
 mesitylene; 
 pseudocumene; 
 ethylbenzene; 
 cumene; 
 p-Cymene; and 
 1-Phenylhexane. 
 
     
     
       16. The radiation detector of  claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is a phthalate.